Improving fish passage and habitat in the Stave River Watershed

An aged wooden fish ladder has been replaced with a new 8.5-metre-long steel structure on Thompson Creek, a tributary of the Stave River near Mission. The ladder will provide long-term, reliable access to good-quality, valuable habitat for salmonids including coho, chum, Chinook, sockeye, pink, cutthroat, and rainbow trout.

The structure was augmented by riparian enhancement work that replaced invasive reed canary grass with native plants in off-channel habitats. Nearly 6,000 individual plants were dug in to reduce bank erosion, provide shade, and increase the volume of leaves and other organic debris falling into the water. In addition, nearly 200 kilograms of garbage was removed from the site.

The project is coordinated by the Fraser Valley Watersheds Coalition, with support from the FWCP, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the Kwantlen First Nation. Volunteers play a key role, especially local champion Phillip Northrop of Thompson Creek Farms, who will monitor fish use of the new ladder.

More: COA-F20-F-3110